The importance of using your vote was the big theme from early on Friday as political leaders and punters headed to the ballot boxes.
Politicians emphasised the value of democracy and of the possible risk to it across Europe and one Minister said polling day was like crowning voters as “king or queen for the day”.
Taoiseach Simon Harris turned up to vote just minutes after polls opened in his locale in Co Wicklow to a gaggle of media and beaming polling station workers.
Arriving just after 7am, the Taoiseach cast his vote in the local and European elections, the first nationwide poll in four years.
“An early start,” he said to a worker at the polling station in Delgany National School.
Referencing former British prime minister Boris Johnson being turned away from a polling station in May because he did not have photo ID, Mr Harris added: “And I brought my ID just so we don’t have a Boris moment.”
He then shook hands with all the polling station workers and spoke to the media about the importance of voting before heading off on what is being touted as a 14-hour canvass across the country.
“Right, Cork!” he said as he marched towards the school car park.
The elections are being viewed as a test of Mr Harris’ popularity, who became leader of Fine Gael and of the Coalition Government just eight weeks ago.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who has been in Government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil since 2020, would not divulge whether he gave his Coalition partners a preference on the ballot paper.
“The privacy of the ballot box will be retained,” he cautioned a reporter who asked.
Mr Ryan said he was hopeful of a high turnout and had been told there was a queue outside his local polling station’s door at 7am.
“We don’t have a king or queen, we decide who governs and the expression of that sovereignty is in the vote. That is not a small act,” he said.
“When you vote, you’re king, you’re queen for the day. So I hope there’s a big turnout, that’s the most important thing.”
Seamus McGrattan, casting her vote. Photo: Niall Carson/PA
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said “today is the big day” as she denied running too many candidates in the European and local elections.
“I want to encourage people to come out and use their vote,” Ms McDonald said, speaking after casting her ballot at the polling station on Navan Road in Cabra, Dublin.
“This is a moment where change can start, the first step in getting a change of government. So the elections are significant and it is very, very important that each and every person exercises their democratic right to vote.”
She described it as a “great”, “very interesting” and “very engaged” campaign and encouraged people to “be part of a big change”.
Asked whether her party ran to many candidates, she said: “No, we ran a great slate of candidates and they have all thoroughly enjoyed the campaign and [being] out and about meeting people. So today is the people’s day, please come out and vote.”
President Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina, also cast their votes in the local and European elections.
The couple were greeted by staff at the polling station in Phoenix Park in Dublin on Friday morning.
As he placed his ballot papers inside the box, Mr Higgins said: “Sin é.” [That’s it.]
